An Attempted Escape
by watrfairie
Summary: A princess of 17 has a 'friend' who's to be killed but she can't stand for this so she arranges with a childhood friend to pretend to kidnap her and as a randsom the king has to let the boy go. But as the plan unfolds something goes terribly wrong...Fini!
1. Prologue

A High School Fairytale

Prologue

When I was little, mother would tell me a story about a girl named Ella. This girl was cursed and had to do whatever she was told to do. (I don't think that mother always disapproves of this, considering I am a bit rebellious.) One day this Ella girl met a prince and later married him. I know that you are thinking that I'm weird telling you this, but there is a point. According to mother, Ella had a fairy godmother! A real live fairy! Also, that Ella had fairy blood in her, but not enough so that she could do magic, but enough to give her small feet, called fairy feet. When I was told this, I would burst out laughing and say, "Then mother, I must be related to this Ella, because I have fairy feet too!" well, I also have very small feet, so I am very clumsy.

A few years ago, mother had stopped telling me this story, but this afternoon, she came up to me with a very serious expression on her face. "Kitiara, you should sit down, I need to tell you something." So, thinking that she was going to tell me that my father was terribly ill or something, I just plopped down on the floor! She laughed at me, and told me to sit in a chair like a young lady, so I did. Then she said something that I'm still trying to comprehend. "Kitiara, you remember the stories that I told you about Ella, the girl who was cursed?" I nodded my head. "Well, you are related to her." I just sat there staring at her. "Honey, you are her great-great-great granddaughter." I still said nothing. Sighing, mother tried again. "You know how every female in our family is named Eleanor on my side? Well, that is why. We are all named after Ella's grandmother, though some go by Ella, Lela, Eleanor, Lean, whatever we like. I decided to break the tradition, so I named you differently, but that doesn't matter. You used to say that you had fairy feet, well, you do. I have them too, as well as all of your grandmothers and aunts on my side of the family." She stopped and stared at me. I'm still saying nothing, just looking at her like she is insane. "Oh do stop that! In not kidding, I'm very serious!"

"Mother, you can't be serious, because you just told me that one of my relatives was a fairy! I'm going to go call the doctor, better yet; I'm going to get Mandy." Mandy was my childhood nurse that somehow just stuck around with us. She works as a maid now, but still takes care of my mother and myself when we get sick.

"I'm fine! You have to listen to me, and Ella was not a fairy, she just had fairy blood."

"Sure mom, I believe you. Mandy! Mandy, mother is really sick! I need some help!" I shouted, because I had no clue where she was. At the sound of my voice, the little lady named Mandy came bustling in. Feeling mother's forehead for a fever, she looked over at me.

"There is nothing wrong with your mother Kit. Why did you think there was?" she said, straightening her skirts. Staring at her, and then at my mother, I open my mouth, but nothing came out. Seeing my distress, Mandy glanced over at my mother. "You told her didn't you?" she asked.

"I had too! She is old enough to know the truth, so I told her! And it's not like she won't find out soon enough anyways. I mean, it happened to my mother's mother, it happened to my mother, and it happened to me, so it will happen to her soon as well! I just wanted her to be ready when it does."

"But lady, she obviously thinks that you need to go to a hospital now, and by the looks of it, she thinks the same of me." Mandy stated, glancing over at where I had now collapsed on the floor. No I didn't faint; I just couldn't stay standing anymore.

"Would someone please tell me what is going on?" I demanded from where I was sitting. "And what happened to Grams Nana and you? What is going to happen to me? Why do I have no clue what you are talking about?"

As my mother and Mandy exchanged glances, my mother recounted the story of Ella, but a different version than what I have read in books. This version, Ella was from England, and not from some distant world, which is why all the ladies on my mother's side have an English accent, including me, and why we always go to England when they reach my age. To go visit our family, who just happens to be high up in the line for the throne!

I couldn't take it anymore, so I did the only thing I could think of doing. I ran. Since I live in Washington D.C. where my father is a senator, I have to have a body guard follow me whenever I leave the house, but I was so out of it, I didn't even notice. I ran until I got to a park, which just happened to be my favorite spot about eight blocks from our house. Running through the park is a little brook surrounded by woods on one side, and a few trees on the side that I was on. Seeing a bridge, I bolted to it and raced over to where I knew there was a weeping willow on the other side. Upon reaching it, I collapsed on the ground, heart pounding.

Seeing me fall, my two wonderful body guards came racing even faster after me. Since I didn't know they were there, I didn't bother to set a slower pace for them, since they can't run as fast and as far as I can, (I'm a figure skater, so I have very strong legs.) but seeing me fall gave them extra strength. When they reached me, one of them came over to me and helped me up, while the other guy, much older and larger than the first, tried to catch his breath. Looking up at the guy, I noticed that I had never seen him before. _He must be new._ I thought to myself. _I guess they figured out that old Giles over there just isn't enough to watch over rambunctious me. At least he is close to my age. I bet that they figured that a young boy might settle me down! Ha! This could be fun! Let's see, I think I'll start with flattery._

"Are you alright miss?" the new boy asked. "You gave us quite a fright running out like that. We thought that you had seen a ghost or something judging from how pale you were. Your color seems to be coming back, but you are still shaking a bit." That was when I noticed that he was still holding me, more like hugging me really. So I backed away from him slowly.

"Yes, I'm fine. I'm sorry about that. I forgot that Giles had to follow me. I just thought that I'd get a bit of fresh air, climb some trees, walk around and maybe run a bit. I didn't know that you would come as well sir. If I had, then I might have slowed down a bit and let you catch up." I said, smiling a little, but keeping my eyes on my shoes.

"A funny lass! They said that I would get a handful out of you, but they never said anything about a sense of humor! Oh, forgive my terrible manors, I never introduced myself. My name is Tristan. I am to be your new body guard because Giles decided to retire."

I had forgotten all about Giles! "Oh! Giles, you're retiring? Did I wear you out that much? I had no idea that I was that much of a handful!" I told him laughing.

"Nonsense child! You were a joy. It is just that my old body can't keep up with a sprightly young lass like you. My wife would like me home a bit more, so I decided to let her have me." Giles told us. Now that I look at him, he does look pretty old, which I had never noticed.

After we had talked for some time, we all turned around back to the house, for it was getting close to supper and sundown. About a block from home, I turned to Tristan. "I'm sorry; I never told you who I am. I'm..."

"I know perfectly well who you are." he said chuckling a bit. "Unless you are not 5 foot four, have long curly auburn hair down to your mid back, bright green eyes with blue flecks, and the daughter of a senator, then I do need an introduction." Finishing his speech, he turned to look at me. _Well duh he would know all this; he is to be my new body guard!_ So I just looked at him like a dork and cocked my head. At this, he just started laughing. I guess I must have looked ridiculous, because Giles did as well.

Smiling, I playfully hit them both. "What?" I demanded.

"I'm sorry lady," Giles said whipping tears from his eyes because he was laughing so hard, "but in all my years of watching you, you have never looked so dumbstruck!" At this, I also started to laugh, because I normally have some witty comeback to everything. Instead, I just tapped Giles on the shoulder.

As he turned to me I smiled at him and said curtly, "You're it!" and I took off running the rest of the way home laughing and screaming while he and Tristan just looked at each other and then took off after me.

When I got back to my house, I bolted through the door to the laundry room and hid behind the dryer. A few seconds later, Tristan burst in and a bit after that Giles came in. Since Giles knew me better, Tristan turned to him for help finding me. "Where could she have gone? The house isn't that big, so she couldn't have that many hiding places. Could she?"

"Well, as you will find out, she is an expert at not being seen when she wants to be hidden. Also, she is excellent at ditching people, so you always need to have your guard up around her. She may be a pretty little lass, but she is very tricky and cunning. She has street smarts, so she can get herself out of a jam, but she does need a little help once in a while. As to where she has hidden herself, there is only one place I can think of."

"And where might that be oh master of hide and seek?" Tristan asked, giving his predecessor a huge grin.

"Under her bed of course! Where do all girls go, but to their rooms?"

"Under her bed? Can she fit under there?"

"Come with me, I'll show you." So off they went, supposedly to my room, but I knew better. Giles knew that I was somewhere in hearing rang, but didn't know exactly where, so he thought that he could trick me! _Clever man, but it didn't work. _So I hopped out from where I was hiding and raced after them hoping to scare at least one of them. As I raced to my room, I never came across them, so I just plopped down on my bed. _I'll just talk to them tomorrow._ So now I am just sitting here thinking about what my mother told me. _Could I really be related to a person out of a book? This just doesn't seem real!_ And with that, I drifted off to sleep.


	2. Chapter 1: The Problem

An Attempted Escape

Chapter 1

The Problem

"I don't understand!" shouted Clair. "How could I have been so foolish? I knew he liked me, but I didn't want to see it. Now that my father knows, he will be killed! Just because a stable boy likes a princess, doesn't mean he has to be killed! How did my father find out anyway?" she finished in a tirade.

"He saw Jeremy looking at you every time you went to the stables for a ridding lesson. Also, when you were on your horse just ridding around, he would follow you, so finally one of your escorts reported him as stalking you or something like that. Then, Jeremy decided to go see your cousin Jacob, and asked him if he could escort you to the ball instead of Jake!" squealed Natalie, Clair's lady in waiting and best friend, with shock and excitement.

You see, in the country of Trinadell, it is considered treason for anyone not of royal or noble blood to have thoughts of emotion about anyone who is. It is even worse if they try to pursue that person at the cost of his or her life! Now, most people wouldn't try to pursue anyone who is not in their social ranking. Some people have gotten away with it, but not many, especially since it is not very common. But as I said, **most** people wouldn't try.

In frustration, Clair tried to figure out what to do. "What if I get him out of the dungeons? Then he could escape and not be killed! But then he would probably try and get me to go with him. Or, I could try and talk to father and get his sentence reduced to life in prison or banishment! But then father would think that I love Jeremy when I do not! What am I going to do? Natalie, help me think of something!" So in desperation, the two girls stayed up most of the night thinking of ways to keep Jeremy from his date with the guillotine the next week. Finally, Clair came up with a plan.

"It's not the smartest thing I can come up with, but it's the best we've got."

"Are you not going to tell me?" squealed Natalie in excitement.

"No, because I can't risk one of the guards at my door to over hear. But you will know what it is when it happens. And don't worry, I won't get hurt." promised Clair.

So the next day, Clair set out to see a childhood friend out in the city, where he was visiting a sick uncle.

"Nicholas, I need you to do me a favor."

"Well hello there Princess! What can I do for you?" said her friend Nicholas-the son of the Lord Matthew of one of the providences in Trinadell-sweeping an elegant bow.

"Hey! Whatever happened to you acting normal around me? Has it been so long that we are not as close of friends that you cannot call me by just my name anymore?" ranted Clair, obviously upset with her friend.

"Whoa! I was teasing you!" Nicholas said raising his hands up in defense to her words.

"Oh, anyways, you see, one of my friends is in trouble with my father, and..."

"You want me to help you get Jeremy out of your father's dungeons right?" interrupted Nicholas. "I know what happened. The whole city knows! What do you need me to do? You know I will help you with anything." he told her smiling sweetly.


	3. Chapter 2: The Plan

Chapter 2

The Plan

"You want me to do what? You do know what the punishment for that is do you not? There is no way that I'm going to do that!" ranted Nicholas.

"But Nick, you said that you'd do anything to help me! Please? I really need you to do this!" begged his friend the Princess Clair.

"Yeah, but I'm not going to kidnap you! Come on, can't you think of anything better? Let me think on this a while, and then I'll get back to you on what I will do to help, but I am so not going to do that."

"I have thought an awful lot on this, and it's the only thing we could come up with!"

"Whoa, someone else is in on this? Who?" demanded Nicolas.

"Who do you think? Natalie of course, I tell her everything! Come on Nick, please? Please will you help me?"

"I'll think about it. But I'm not saying that I will or will not do it. Not yet. Let me ask around town what people are thinking about what is up with Jeremy."

"Oh thank you thank you thank you!!!!" Clair squealed as she gave Nicholas a hug and pecked him on the cheek.

"Now you listen to me Clair, nobody else can find out about this, or else your father with have my head before we even do anything." Nick said as he pushed her away gently, blushing to himself.

"I promise. Oh thank you so much for helping me. I have to get back to my lessons now. Father in introducing a new ridding instructor for my since, well, since Jeremy in indisposed of at the moment. I'll be back though, you can count on it!" she said as she raced back towards the castle stables. _This is going to be great!_ Clair thought to herself, as giddy as a little girl after she got a new doll. _I love spending time with Nicholas. He is so sweet and funny. I hope this goes well though. I know that we were not really friends, Jeremy and I, but I just can't stand the thought of someone I have known for such a long time, being put to death because of me! Over a silly little crush! I wonder who my new ridding instructor is? _As she ran, she never noticed that she was not in her ridding skirts until her father stepped out of her horses stall.

"Where have you been? We have been waiting for you for a while now. Why are you not dressed? You knew you would be ridding today!" ranted her father, King Andrew.

"Sorry, father, I lost track of time. I was out talking with Lord Nicholas, for it has been such a long time since I have seen him. I will go change if you wish it." Clair stammered as she looked around trying to see who would be her new teacher.

"Don't worry Sire, she is fine how she is. We can start ridding tomorrow." said a voice from behind her. "I do suggest that we let the princess catch her breath though, for it looks like she has had a long run." it said laughing.

As Clair whirled around, she gasped at who was there. "Rand? Oh my gosh! You came back! Where did you go? What did you see? Was it fun? Oh my gosh! Wait, you are going to be my new ridding instructor? That is so cool!" she squealed with delight at the sight of her older brother, giving him the biggest hug she could.

"Calm down child! He has barely been back two hours and you are already slamming him with a million questions! Yes, Lord Randal will be giving you your lessons from now on." Her father said, trying to calm his daughter down.


	4. Chapter 3: Family Reunion

Thanks to all my reviews. This does have to do with Ella Enchanted, trust me, I just haven't really been able to get into that yet, but it is coming. Oh, ignor the preface, it was just a blurb as to what happened to the kingdom after Ella and Char got married, nothing special. Keep reviewing please!

Chapter 3

Family Reunion

_Wait, what? Did he say Lord? Whatever happened to Prince? He is my brother, I am the princess, and my father is the king, so that makes him a prince! What in the world is going on?_ "I-I am not following. W-why did you say lord?" Clair stammered.

"Well, I have decided to give up the throne and the crown. Instead of me becoming king, you will become queen! You must be so excited!" her brother, **Lord** Rand, told her grinning.

"B-but I don't want to be queen! Why are you doing this? You can't! Father, tell him that he can't do this!" she cried in shock. _What is he thinking? Why is he doing this? He has always wanted to be king, but now, after he comes home from lord knows where, he decides to give up his title? He must have some disease that is making him loose his mind. That's it. Once he gets better, he will change his mind! _Clair just stood there staring in disbelief at her father and brother.

"Okay, obviously you are not fit for a ridding lesson of any sort today, so why don't we just get you back to the palace and maybe something to eat. Come on, let's go." her brother said, taking her hand and leading her away from the stables. But instead of letter him lead her and make small talk, Clair snatched her hand back and ran up to her rooms crying.

_This changes everything! Now I'll never be able to live a normal life, and I'll never have normal friends, and I'll have to take more classes so I can learn how to **rule** a damn country and how to command our nights! **My** knights! I don't want to do this! How could he do this to me? He knew that I never wanted to become queen! I can't believe him!_ At this point tears were streaming down her face so noticeably that as she ran past the guards and some of the servants that they all turned and looked at her in shock, wondering what could possibly trouble a princess so much that she was crying like a child. _And, the worst part of this, I can not do anything to save Jeremy now. Not with all my new **responsibilities** that I have now. Why? Why does everything always happen to me?_

Since she still had tears in her eyes, Clair never noticed that there was someone standing in front of her until she practically ran him over. She would have fallen flat on her face if he had not caught her at the waist in mid-air, spinning her around to face him. "What is the meaning of this?" she demanded hysterically, still not being able to see clearly. "Let go of me!"

"Hello Princess! Did you have a nice ridding lesson? Obviously not, so let me help you up to your rooms so that you can rest." said a familiar voice. But Clair's mind was spinning too much to figure out who it was.

"Thank you, but I'm fine now." she said wiping away most of the tears. Looking up, she saw that it was her cousin Jacob. "What are you doing here Jake? I thought that you were still at school, training to be a scholar or a swordsman or something?" she said, finally relaxing enough for him to trust that she wouldn't bolt again.

"Well, I was, until that fool of a boy Jeremy came and asked me to escort you to the ball next month instead of myself. So I had to come tell Uncle Andrew. I seriously think that that kid in insane! I mean, I have heard of commoners and knights or low upper-class trying to wed, and sometimes succeeding, but never this! You're a princess for crying out loud! What were you thinking provoking him?" he told her, getting more upset as he went on.

"What? Is that what he said? I think not! He was my ridding instructor and a stable boy. I never saw him unless I went ridding. Though, I have heard that he would follow me at times. That is a little creepy, but come on! You know me better than that!"

"Well, anyways, whether you are right or he is..." she couldn't believe what he was saying. She was a princess, much less even interested in **any** man! _I'm only seventeen for crying out loud! I don't want to marry! Not yet anyways, and certainly not for a while yet. I know that I will have to now that I am destined to rule, but not now!_ This day was getting too much for her.

"Well, I hope that everyone will find that Jeremy means nothing to me. Now if you will excuse me, I have had a long and tiring day. I would like it if you would let me go to my rooms now. It was nice seeing you back home safely. We will talk later I am sure. Good day Jacob." Clair said as she walked away on unstable feet, but was sure not to let him see, for then he would surely want accompany her the rest of the way. _What in the world is going on today? I need some rest. I'll send Natalie down for some food later. I have to talk to Nicholas!_


	5. Chapter 4: Taking Action

I'm glad that ya'll are likeing this! I hope that you will aprove of this next part. Like I told my readers for my other story "A High School Fairytale", school has started up again, so I'm more concerned about getting my homework done than updating, so please be patient. Anyways, on with the story..........

Chapter 4

Taking Action

Back in her rooms, Clair lay down on her bed and closed her eyes. "Natalie? I'm developing a head ache. Would you mind running down and getting me something for it please?"

"Right away milady. I'll be right back up." the girl said as she walked out of the room.

_What is it with people treating me like the person I'm supposed to be? Whatever happened to our friendships? First Nick, then Jake, and now Natty! This day has been way too weird for me. I think I'll go take a walk out in the gardens to clear my head. Maybe then I can sort out this business with Rand. What was he thinking? Natalie can just leave whatever she brings up for me on the table so that I can take it later. _thought Clair as she got up. Realizing that her dress was badly soiled from her jaunt into the city, she went over to her wardrobe to pull out a dress with divided skirts so that she could go riding later.

Walking around her private garden, she suddenly had the feeling that someone was watching her. Spinning around, she tried to find who it was, but she saw no one. Walking a little farther into the grove of trees, she had the feeling again, so she slowly turned around trying see if anything moved, but again found nothing. Shrugging it off, she walked down to the stables and started saddling up her dappled stallion, Nutmeg.

Soon afterwards, Clair mounted her horse and started off for the river that ran at the edge of the palace grounds leading into the city, when she felt it again; but this time, she also heard the sound of another horse galloping towards her. _This is getting ridiculous! _she thought to herself as she turned around once again, to see who was coming towards her. To her surprise, it was Nicholas on one of his uncle's stallions. "What are you doing here? What is in the saddle bag?" she asked as he came up beside her and slowed his horse to a walk.

"Well, I did tell you that I would talk to you again about your plan did I not? I have had some time to think about what you have said, and I decided that I don't want someone that I have known for just as long as you, being punished for something so silly. Here, tie this behind your saddle." he said tossing her the bundle. "So, are you ready to go?" _Wait, she looks really troubled. Maybe we shouldn't do this. I knew it was a bad plan in the first place! I wonder what is wrong anyways. _he thought to himself as she looked at him in shock.

_Well, maybe this will work after all. Come to think of it, this is sounding even better! Now that I am the next heir to the throne, father will have to do anything in order to make sure that I am not harmed! I'm a genius!_ "Okay. Lets do this." she said brightening up. "So, where are you going to take me? I mean, I have never actually been kidnapped before, so I'm not really sure what's going on..."

"Hold your horses!" interrupted Nicholas as she rambled on. "I have never kidnapped anybody either, but from what I have heard of reports on kidnappings from the knights, you'll just have to trust me. And put this cloak on. Okay?"

"But, this isn't really a kidnapping! You not supposed to really kidnap me!"

"Calm down! Just trust me okay? I have a plan, but you have to cooperate in order for it to work out properly."

So Nicholas took her rains from her and started to lead the two horsed towards the brook in the woods. _Good grief! Who knew that she would get so worked up about this! It was her plan after all to do this in the first place. I never really noticed that she talked so much when she gets worried. I'll have to do something about that next time, but there are only two ways I know of to shut someone up, and I can't very well hit a princess!_

Not many people knew about the brook, and even fewer knew that there was a bridge to cross over it, even though it wasn't that fast, but apparently, the Captain General did, and had put up a post so that no one could cross from either direction.

"Halt!" called one of the guards. "What are you doing on this side of the walls? No one but the royal family and their invited guests may be here. Explain yourselves!"

"Do you not see whom I am ridding with?" retorted Nicholas from his mount. "This is the Princess Clair, and I am Lord Nicholas Dubear. Stand aside or I shall call her father to have you arrested for resisting an order from his daughter!"

"Princess! I am so sorry. I did not recognize you with that cloak on. Please, proceed. Please, forgive me." the guard apologized profusely.

"Not a problem. Just make sure that it doesn't happen again." Clair replied briskly. _What is he thinking? Nicholas, you idiot! What have you gotten me into? He is going to tell the Captain General, who will for sure tell my father that I was seen ridding with a young man, let alone a lord! Then father will try and arrange a betrothal, which I am not ready for!_ "What where you thinking?" she hissed to her friend as they rode away.

"I forgot there they had put up a watch. But it did go pretty smoothly, don't you think?" he replied chuckling.

"Smoothly? He is a guard! He has to report any comings and goings that he sees, meaning that the Captain General will find out, and then my father and..." she tried to go on but suddenly Nicholas leaned over and kissed her. Clair was so shocked that she just sat there enjoying it. After a what seemed like forever, but couldn't have been more than a minute, she leaned away from him and gave him a nice slap across the cheek. "What the hell was that for? You can't do that!" she huffed, trying to catch her breath.

"I can do whatever I damn well please, and I don't think that ladies are supposed to curse. Especially princesses!" Nicholas told her curtly, chuckling at the last. The comment earned him a nice glair from Clair. After that, they rode on in silence.

A little while later, they heard the sound of another horse galloping towards them. They both turned around to find that Clair's older brother Rand was following, calling them to stop. Behind him was Natalie, and behind her were some of the palace guards. "Oh shit." Nicholas said, as he spurred his horse to go faster. "Why didn't you tell me that your brother was home? He would know in a heartbeat that something wasn't right as soon as heard the report from that fool guard."

"I didn't think about it!" Clair practically shouted at him still anger from what he had just done, and grabbing on to Nutmegs main so that she didn't come unseated. Her horse was stronger and faster than Nicholas', meaning that they were not going fast enough to outrun her brother, so Nicholas tossed Clair back her reins and unhooked his feet from the stirrups. Then he jumped onto her horse behind her and spurred it to go even faster. "What are you doing?" Clair wailed in fright. "You could have gotten killed if you hadn't made that jump!"

"Shut up! You need to act like you are actually being kidnapped." he said, letting go of his horses rains, grabbing hers, and wrapping his free arm around her so that he couldn't struggle against him. Being as strong as he was, it was no problem, even though she hadn't moved an inch since he had done so, thinking that he was going to try and kiss her again.

Finally excepting the fact that she had no choice but to trust that he knew what he was doing, Clair relaxed and leaned back against his shoulder.

Seeing that they were outrunning him, Rand decided to pull back his group. He knew that he would never catch up to them at this rate, not with everyone trying to keep up with his horse which was obviously the strongest of them all. "Natalie. Come up here." he commanded.

"Y-yes your highness?" she stammered as she brought her horse up level with his.

"Don't call me that. I have given up my title, which is why we need to find the princess, for she is now the heir to the throne. Tell me, what do know of that young man who kidnapped my sister?" he questioned coarsely.

"You what?" she exclaimed as he glared at her. "Sorry my Lord. I know very little of him. I do know that they were friends when she was a young lass though." she finished.

"What is his name?" he demanded, but all she did was shake her head.

"I'm sorry my Lord, but I do not know who he is." Was all she said.


	6. Chapter 5: Unfolding of Plans

Chapter 5

Unfolding of Plans

Towards dusk, Clair started to stir, indicating that she was awake. "About time you woke up! I was beginning to think that you would never wake." came Nicholas' voice with a hint of amusement.

"Where am I?" Clair asked, sitting up slowly. _The last thing I remember is ridding Nutmeg, then Nick coming up, and then being chased by Rand. What happened?_

"I can't tell you that. Here, you need to write a letter to your father convincing him that Jeremy is the only one who can find you."

"But, this isn't fair! You are not supposed to actually kidnap me!" but she immediately stopped talking because Nicholas came closer to her, and she thought she would get kissed again. _Not that I wouldn't mind exactly butt..._

"Just write." he said interrupting her thoughts. "I promise that nothing will happen to you if you cooperate. This was your idea anyways remember, Princess?" was all that he said, getting more frustrated by the minute that he had let her talk him into this.

Taking the pen and paper that he had given her, she began to write.

"Your Highness! A letter from the princess has just arrived! I think it might be a ransom note!" exclaimed one of the palace servants.

Even though it had only been a few hours since the news of his daughters kidnapping, King Andrew was not at all surprised to have a ransom note sent. Taking the letter from his servant, he read what it said.

_Father, I hope you are doing well. My kidnapper is being very kind to me, so do not worry about my being hurt. I know that this must be stressful for you, but he promises that if you do as he says, he will let me go._

_Now for the instructions. I am afraid that Jeremy is the only one who will be able to do as he says, meaning you have to let him go free father. What he must do is to go to my favorite ridding spot. There will be instructions there showing him how to find me. You must send him alone, or I might never be able to go free! Then, he will escort me home, but only if you promise to let him go afterwards._

_Please do as I have instructed. I want to come home!_

_Your loving daughter,_

_Princess Clair_

"Who delivered this?" Andrew demanded of his servants, but no one spoke up. "Who delivered this? Answer me confound it! Who...delivered...this...letter?" It was all the king could do from breaking down and crying in front of his entire court.

"I am sorry Your Highness, but I found it nailed to the Princess's door this evening when I went to light a fire thinking that she would want it tonight. It is supposed to get nippy tonight, so I just thought that..."

"The princess is not here. Go put out the fire when I am done with you. You say that you found it nailed to her door? When? You must tell me exactly when you found it.

"Well, I light the Princess's fire later on days when she has ridding lessons because she normally returns later, so there is no need to light the fire and just have it sitting there to warm no one. She is really quite a rider I have heard, you must be so proud of her..."

"When did you find the letter!" he all but shouted at the rambling woman standing before him. _This is insane! Surly someone would have seen if there had been anyone near my daughter's quarters. Especially someone with hammer, nail and a piece of paper!_

"Well, I guess it must have been a few minutes ago Your Highness. If I am not mistaken, it is just after sundown, so that means that it is about nine o'clock. Plus I gave it to the nearest messenger I could find." the bedchamber maid finished close to a near whisper, trying so make herself as small as possible to escape the glare that Andrew was giving her.

"Very well, you may go put out the fire now." he said, then turning to the rest of the servants standing in the hall he asked: "Has anyone seen anyone you think does not belong in the palace wondering around? Someone must have seen something!" But to his great dishevel, no one said a thing. _Apparently this young man is more cleaver than I thought. I give him credit for that, but if anything happens to Clair, I swear that he will regret the day his mother caught his father's eye! He will pay!_

"Send for the guards!" the king shouted from his throne.

Running in as quickly as they could with all the armor that they wore, the Captain General and a few of his officers ran into the Private Chamber that the king had walked to after his command. "You called Sire? How may we be of service to you? Is anything the matter? You sent for us rather hastily."

"Oh do stop blathering! Go down to the dungeons and bring out the boy prisoner. I must speak with him."

"I beg your pardon? You have already decided the boy's fate my Lord!" one of the officers reminded him.

"I know very well what I have and have not already done! Now go fetch the boy and bring him hear! He is to run an errand for me."

As the soldiers ran off to carry out his orders, Andrew racked his brain for any other possible alternatives as to how to get his daughter back. As Jeremy was shoved into the room, he finally gave up his pondering, and told the boy what had happened that day, and what the letter said.


	7. Chapter 6 Waiting

Okay, now for the disclaimer: Anything that you recognize from Ella Enchanted or Cinderella, does not belong to me, but EVERYTHING else does.

Chapter 6

Waiting

"So, now that I have written the letter to my father, will you tell me where we are?" asked Clair. _This is getting ridiculous! I can not believe that I let him do this! I am so fed up with him bossing me around. I wonder if I am like that with my servants. No way, I am not bossy! But he makes me so angry!_

"You can find out for yourself. We are invited to a ball tonight. We need to go get you a suitable dress to wear." Nicholas replied as he grabbed his cloak and walked over to the door of the room that Clair had been staying in. "Are you coming or not? I thought that you would grab any chance you got to get out of this room!" Laughing, Nicholas walked out and started to close the door. They had been waiting for three days since Nicholas had taken the letter Clair had written home to her father. During that time, she had been locked in her room, though it was nice. Nicholas had come in every once in a while to check that she was okay, and hadn't climbed out of a window, but still, she would have liked to at least leaver her room.

"Wait! You are not leaving me hear! Stop!" Clair shouted, grabbing her own cloak and rushing out the door to follow him. As they walked outside, Clair's anger started to boil. "You mean that I have been staying in a manor in the middle of some town, and you never even told me?!? What is wrong with you? You let me believe that I was in the middle of the woods of some strange country in a cabin! Nicholas, tell me where I am right this instant!" With each sentence, her voice rose until she was nearly shouting.

"Oh come on! You could have at least opened the curtains to you window. You could have very easily figured that out on your own. We are in the city of Lansing, where I live, and we have been staying in my father's manor. What is it with you the last couple of days anyways? You are not at all like what you used to be when we were kids. I mean, my gosh, you are starting to act like some of the princesses that I have met from other countries. You are becoming bossy, demanding, and a pain to be around! Why do you think that I rarely come to see you anymore up at the palace?"

"What? You think that I'm demanding? You should listen to my little sister's! **They** are demanding. All day, all they want to do is follow me around or play with dolls or play dress up for a pretend ball! They have to have their hair put up in a certain way, tucked into bed with the same stories, eat the same things for supper! And you call me demanding!"

"When I came to visit my uncle when we were little, I would always ask when I would get to play with you again. My uncle finally got to the point that he would tease me that he would have my father and the king discuss a betrothal for us. To get married! I got used to the idea after a while, that I would some day marry my best friend. But a few years ago, you started to be harder and harder to be around until I just stopped coming to visit you! The only reason that I have been in the city the last few weeks is because my uncle is ill! You came to me asking for help, and I thought I saw some of the old you again, but I guess I was wrong. You haven't changed at all! I don't even know why I am doing this for you." Nicholas was getting extremely angry with himself for telling her that. He was also upset that he let a girl of all people, to crawl under his skin so far! _What is wrong with me? Why am I acting like a fool? She is the princess, whom I have 'kidnapped', and as soon as she gets home, I will never see her again. I swear, I will never go back to the city. Why? So that I don't have to see her? My head feels like I have a cotton ball stuffed in it every time I'm around her, so I keep acting like a fool! What is happening to me?_

As they walked on in silence, Clair couldn't help but wonder what had been going on in her friend's head the last few years. She had thought that he was the one changing, not her. Shocked was all that she could think of to describe her reaction to what he had said. She knew that he had had a crush on her when they were really little, but when they got to the age when her father had wanted to start courting her, he seemed to have lost interest in her altogether. _That must have been when I started to change. I can't believe that I was, am, such a fool, that I never noticed! Well, what is done is done. I just hope that I can get my friend back._

Soon they arrived at the seamstress's shop. As they walked in, an old lady came over and bowed formally to them. "Why Lord Nicholas, you never cease to amaze me at all the girls that flog around you! You have grown to quite the young gentleman over the years." she said.

Grinning, he took the lady's hand in his and kissed it as he bowed to her. "Why Agnes, I never knew that you were so fond of me! Why usually, it is all you can do to keep your voice down when you fuss at me for something! Have I done something right for a change?"

Taking her hand back, she almost slapped him because of his sarcasm. "I was just trying to impress the lady you are with for you because shirley, she is with you over her father's orders. Now are you going to introduce her, or do I have to play a million questions trying to figure it out?"

Sweeping an elegant curtsy that would impress any court, Clair answered her before Nicholas could even think of shushing her. "Why Lady, you do have such a nice shop here! Please excuse Nicholas' rude manners, he still has much yet to learn of how to treat a lady. To answer for him, my name is Lady Saline Freedmen. But please, call me Saline."

"Why! Aren't you a jewel?" Agnes said, blushing profusely, and laughing hysterically. "Did you hear her Nicholas? She called me a lady! Oh, my dear, I am no such thing, just a simple seamstress, but I must say, you are definitely right about Nick having no manners! Oh my, I haven't laughed this hard in a long time." Straightening, she decided that it was time for business. "Please forgive me Lady. Now what can I do for you on such a fine day?"

"We have come for you to make a gown for the Lady Saline." Nicholas replied, giving Clair a glair that clearly told her that he was going to talk to her later. "I was asked by my father to be an escort for the Saline at the ball tonight, so she needs an appropriate gown for the occasion."

"Then you have come to the right place. Now if you would not mind waiting out here, I shall take Lady Saline into the back to get fitted, and for her to pick out fabric. We shall hardly take up most of the morning.

As they walked out of the shop, Nicholas led Clair to a grove of trees at the end of the lane. "What where you thinking? You should have let me talk for you! What if you had let something slip? Then we would have been in a very tight spot. You are lucky that your father never lets you out of the palace walls, or else someone here might recognize you! I am not going to have my head chopped off because of your fool plan!"

"And what was I supposed to do? Stand there and act like a fool mute while you dig yourself into a whole the way you were acting? What would I have said while she was getting her measurements? She asked me about where I was from! What it was like to live in a manor, if I was related to any royalty! What should I have done Nick? Act like a girl with no brains in her head? Act like the stubborn demanding and bossy princess that I am? Is that what I should have done? Treated her like she was dirt? Look, I may have changed, but I am not an idiot. Everybody deserves to be treated with as much respect as I am given at home. You should try it sometime! Maybe you might even find a girl that likes you half as much as..." she cut off what she was going to say quickly.

"Half as much as who Clair? Half as much as who?" Nicholas demanded. "I can't believe I am even listening to you. You don't even know these people. The people that your father rules! You should, if you ever want to become a good queen! Oh, was I not supposed to mention that? Your destiny to become queen? I know you hate it, but I am sure that whoever you marry will just love to have all that power. What, you don't care for power? Oh my, have I offended you? Wait, where are you going? Stop! Clair!" he shouted as Clair raced on down through the grove until she was out of breath, but still, she kept walking until she found herself weeping next to a pond that had a waterfall cascading into it from a stream up the hill.

_Am I truly that horrible? I thought that we were friends, but maybe it was just so that he could get his family higher up in my fathers favor. I can't believe that he would say such things! I bet that he doesn't even care that he hurt my feelings. Well I don't care about him, so why should he care about me? What was I going to say anyways, that he might even find someone who cares half as much about him as I do? What am I thinking? I don't care for him. That kiss meant nothing! I think that he is an incompetent fool who has no manners and doesn't care how badly he hurts others._

While she was sitting next to the pond, she didn't notice that someone was watching her. Since she didn't stir, the watcher decided to move a little closer, to see what she did, and how oblivious she was at the moment. As he moved, he accidentally brushed up against a bush with some birds in it, making them all fly out. He stopped quickly and dove behind a tree because he saw that Clair **had** noticed and was looking for who was behind her. "Who's there?" she asked. Frightened that she would not like the answer, Clair swiftly stood grabbing a stick to defend herself if necessary. "Who's there? I know I saw someone, so you might as well come out where I can see you before I come in there after you!"

Quickly stepping out from behind the tree, her watcher come out enough so that just his face was still hidden from the shadows. "Is this good enough Princess?" he asked.

"You know who I am? How did you find out? Do I know you? Your voice sounds familiar." she asked him.

"You should." he responded, stepping the rest of the way out of the woods. Gasping, Clair dropped the stick.


	8. Chapter 7: Preparing for the Ball

Chapter 7

Preparing For the Ball

"Jeremy? Is that you? So my father did comply with letting you go. Good. Are you alright? You look out of sorts." Clair rambled as she walked over to him.

"I am fine Princess, but how are you being treated? I am surprised that your kidnapper would let you wonder off by yourself." Jeremy answered her coolly.

"What? Oh that. Yeah well, he is nicer that most kidnappers."

"Then why where you crying?"

"How long have you been watching me? How did you find me here anyways?"

"Simple. I followed you from the Lord Nicholas' manor to the seamstress' shop. And then into the ally where you were treated quite unfairly if you ask me, and then into the woods. I followed you until you stopped by the pond and I watched you while you cried, trying to think of a way to approach you in order to comfort you. Are you all right, or do you need some comforting?"

"I'm fine. How much did you hear? Never mind, I don't want to know. You said that you have been following ever since we left the manor? That was hours ago! Wait, that means you know..."

"That Lord Nicholas kidnapped you? Yes, and I am going to take you away from him before he can do any harm to you. Now if you will come with me..."

"Clair!" Nicholas cried as he ran through the last bit of brush before coming out of the woods and stepping protectively in front of her. "Get away from you son of a donkey or I'll beat you up so bad that..."

"Nicholas no! It's Jeremy!" Clair said, pulling him away. "My father fell for it! The plan worked! Now I can go home, and everything will be back to normal. So can we go back to the manor? It is getting close to midday, and I don't want to have only a few hours to get ready for the ball tonight. Wait, you followed me?"

"What are you talking about?" inquired Jeremy. "What plan?"

"We can talk about that later. Clair is right. I don't want to be out here any longer than I have to be. There are bandits in these woods. Plus, we still have to pick up your gown before the ball starts, which is going to come quite quickly if we don't get out of here soon, so we had better hurry." Nicholas said as he took hold of Clair's arm and started to escort her back to the manor.

Back in her room, Clair was bombarded by several maids trying to help her get ready. One for her hair, another for her make-up, another girl to help her with her shift and other underclothes and washing, and still yet another to help her with her dress.

After getting a nice scrub, it was time to start getting ready. "Oh Lady, your hair should be worn up in a multitude of braids! You would look so lovely." said the maid working on her hair. "Or I could put it up in several buns, or maybe half-up with twists! That would look ravishing. Or..."

"Or you could just leave it down." Clair interrupted her.  
"Oh but that is not allowed for the ball! No, it required that you look like you are going to appear before the royal court! So, I think that I will put it up in a bunch of twists and braids. Yes, that shall do nicely!"

"Now close your eyes and don't open them until I'm done. I said don't open them!" that was the maid working on her make-up.

Then it was the woman helping her with her underclothes. "Please suck in your breath dear. We need to put this corset on you tightly so that you look skinnier! But I must say, you don't need it as tight as some women. What do they feed you in your land? You are as skinny as a twig! But you do have a lovely figure; I must compliment you on that."

After all this was done: the hair, the make-up, the under garments, then came the dress. "Oh my stars! I have never seen such a beautiful gown!"

"Oh yes Lady, it is quite lovely. Come now, let's stop staring at it. Let me help you put it on." the last maid said-obviously the eldest and the one in charge-slipping the dress over Clair's head.

Once it was on, none of the maids in her room would let her look at a mirror, so she could only imagine what she looked like. "Oh Lady!" was all that the girl who did her hair could say. "My stars! You do look quite lovely Lady." was all that the girl who did her hair could say. The woman who helped her with her under things just stared, unable to say a word. Walking over to the door to the hall, it was all Clair could do to keep from blushing.

As she was about to reach for the handle, the last maid who had helped her with her dress and shoes, came over and stood in front of her. "I would give you a hug, but I don't want to mess anything up! If only I could get my daughters to look half as ravishing as you do, I would have many grandchildren by now! Oh do stop blushing, it only hides your beauty. Now, the Lord Nicholas is probably standing outside your doors. He has been for hours now! I know that you had a fight, and he is probably still angry with you as you are he, but I doubt that he can stay angry much longer once he get a good look at you. So just remember what I say: keep to his side. There are going to be men that will do horrible things to you if they can get you alone, but he is as good as they come. I helped raise him, so I know. Be sweet, but don't flirt with him, because he is betrothed to some princess. I don't think he knows though. His uncle might have told him, or teased him about it at least, but I don't think he took it seriously. Stop staring at me! You look fine! Trust me. Now it is time for you to have a wonderful evening. And keep your shoes on! Your feet will hurt less if you keep them on while you dance. Who knows who may step on them, for some men have two left feet. Have a good time!" And she opened the door.

Stepping out into the hall, Clair could see nobody there, so she started to walk towards the stairs when a voice turned her around. "Why aren't you just a pretty little thing!"

"Jeremy! You scared me half to death! What are you doing here?"

"I came to escort you to the ball of course!"

"I thought that Nicholas was going to do that. Wait, where is Nicholas anyways?"

"Oh, I think he found other arrangements. Shall we?"

"I don't think so. Now if you will excuse me, I am going to find out where he is for myself."

"As you wish, Princess."

Walking to the head of the stairs, Clair looked down to see Nicholas standing at the front of the entrance hall already talking to some guests who had arrived. As she started down the stairs, she could hear people gasping as they caught sight of her, and she watched as Nicholas slowly turned around to see what it was they were looking at.


	9. Chapter 8: The Ball

Chapter 8

The Ball

As Nicholas caught sight of Clair in her floor length powder blue gown that clung snuggly around her bodice and starting to hanging limply at the waist so that it would spread out slightly if she twirled, but not enough to show more than her glass slippers, with bell sleeves and a princess cut at the top, he could not help but blink in surprise. With her hair done up-after fighting with the maid doing her hair, they had agreed on a style which was half up to display her waist length hair and the top done into intricate braids pilled on top of each other to form a crown-Clair truly felt like the princess that she was born to be. She quickly walked the rest of the way down the stairs and moved to join him when a bunch of women and their male escorts rushed to her to find out who she was and where she was from. They asked all sorts of questions like why she was there, where she bought her dress, who was her escort-which was a favorite for the men, which was followed by a glare and sometimes an elbow in the stomach from their lady friends.

Shoving his way through to her side, Nicholas silently scolded himself for forgetting that they were fighting. _But she looks so damn pretty!_ Once he was able to get next to her, he put his arm around her waist and gently led her away from the mob, giving excuses for her leaving them. When they finally made it clear of the last of the guests and out of ear shot, Clair rounded on him.

"What do you think you are doing? I am not a girl toy that you can lead around everywhere. Take your hands off me." she demanded coolly.

"I am truly sorry Princess, but you looked like you were about to drown from all the people surrounding you." he retorted, just as coolly as she.

"I told you not to call me that years ago. Has our friendship dwindled this much? What am I supposed to do here anyways? I can't just lie to everyone. What does your father think anyways?"

"I think that you are a lovely young woman who has caught my son's eye Lady Saline." came a voice from behind them, which proved to be Nicholas' father when they turned to look at who had spoken. "As answer to what you are supposed to do here, I suggest that you get into the ballroom and find out. Both of you." Earlier that day, Nicholas had told his father what had happened in the city, well, the part about him letting Clair get away from him. His father had scolded him saying that he had better not let her out of his sight again, or else he would be punished like a little boy who disobeyed his father.

"Yes sir." Nicholas said, again leading Clair away. "We are going to have to talk about this later." he muttered in her ear as they walked through the doors.

"I see nothing to discuss. We have obviously gone our separate ways, so once the night is over, I will be on my way home." she muttered back.

"As you wish."

Walking into the ballroom, they saw that most of the guests had already arrived and were happily dancing on the floor. Walking to their table, Nicholas and Clair sat down and began their meal. As part of the noble family and distinguished guest, they were the first to eat by tradition. Later though, the rest of the guests would have their dinners, and afterwards, everyone would dance.

Soon, they had finished and announcements were made that the rest were able to eat. During which, there was to be a special event. "As you can all see, my son has a lovely lady friend accompanying him tonight. In her honor, we shall begin tonight's festivities with the first dance. Nicholas, if you and Lady Saline would come to the center of the dance floor please and entertain us with a dance, we would be greatly honored. Start the music!"

"I don't think I can do this Nicholas." Clair whispered in his ear as he put his hand around his waist, and her hand in his other. "I'm not that great of a dancer. And I only know a few dances. I do not want to humiliate you in front of your guests and father and I..."

"And you talk too much." Nicholas finished for her grinning. "Since when do you care if you humiliate me? You have been doing it since we were little. Don't worry, I'm not that bad of a dancer." So the music started. As it turned out, she did know that one, and it was one of her better dances. After the song ended, more people joined them after finishing their meals. Song after song after song they danced, until the music stopped. With a signal from the conductor, all the dancing partners drew closer together.

"What's going on? What is everyone doing?" Clair inquired of her partner.

"We have to get closer for this dance. I think you will like it. It has a special...treat, at the end of it." he replied, as he pulled her in to him until she was almost leaning on him. Nervous of this position, she let him pull her in. As the music started, she figured out why they were so close. The dance steps were so complicated that they deeded their partners help to do them. As the song drew to an end, the tempo became increasingly slow until all the women dancers were literally swept off there feet and twirled around in the air to come down into a hug and a passionate kiss.

As Nicholas lowered Clair, she figured out what was going to happen. Her heart started to race as she got closer to him. Her head became fogged with the only but only allowing the thought that she hopped it was like the first through. She was on the floor now, and there was nothing she could do about it, because she wasn't even sure if she wanted to kiss him again, for it seemed that he only did that to shut her up. Nicholas wrapped his arms around her waist and bend his head down a little so that they on the same level-he was only a hand taller than her, so he didn't have to tilt his head that far-and brushed his lips against hers. The brush became a kiss which made Clair's head spin. This was nothing like the first; it was much better. All she could think about was that kiss, and how she hoped it would never end.

After what seemed like hours, she thought she felt his mouth open and his tongue brush against hers, so she leapt apart from him blushing, not sure if she had imagined it or if it had really happened. Apparently though, there were still many couples kissing each other that no one noticed._ What just happened? Did that mean anything? What was he going to do? Did I really just **kiss** him? Oh my gosh! Why do I feel so funny? I mean, my head feels like I am on cloud nine, and my heart is racing like I just outran a horse! I need some air._ So Clair quickly left the ball room walking towards one of the balconies.

Feeling her jump back, Nicholas put his arms down and stared at her._ Was I just about to **kiss** her kiss her? What was I thinking? What is wrong with me lately? I haven't been the same ever since she got here. Wait, where is she going? No, my father told me not to let her out of my sight again!_ So he ran after her.

Once out on the balcony, Clair stared up at the night sky. She used to do that as a little girl when she felt confused about something. It turned out that there were already other people out there as well, so she thought that she would go have a walk in one of the gardens on the estate. At the bottom of the marble steps there was a miniature stream, so she decided to follow it. It turned out to run into a miniature pond with fish and lily pads, with benches around the edge. Sitting down Clair let her mind wonder. She hadn't felt this free in a long time, so she enjoyed just sitting there alone, gazing up at the heavens.

As Nicholas ran out onto the balcony, he caught sight of Clair walking along the stream._ Where does she think she is going? She is going to get lost again if she isn't careful. _Taking the steps three at a time, Nicholas raced after her. He slowed when he saw that she was sitting on the bench alone. He thought that she looked happy and contended himself with just watching over her. Unfortunately, he brushed up against a tree branch which made her turn around to stare at him.

"Following me where you? Well, you can follow me all you like, but I am not going to talk to you."

"Oh come on Clair! You know that it was part of the dance. It didn't mean anything! Please, why can't we be friends again? I was wrong okay! I admit it. You aren't a brat, and you are not demanding. I'm sorry. Forgive me?"

_It didn't mean anything? Well, maybe to you, but I certainly felt something. Both times. And if I am not mistaken, having your tongue in my mouth means that you did as well! Didn't mean anything my foot! _"I told you Nicholas, I am done talking with you! All it has gotten me is into more trouble. I can't do that anymore! Remember what I told you, about my brother Randal renouncing his title? Well that means that I have to become queen! And future queens can not go getting themselves into any more trouble. So just leave me alone!" she scolded him, once again walking off. But this time, there was someone else following her. "I already told you Nicholas to leave me alone! Why are you still following me?" she demanded.

"Because I am not Nicholas, and you never told me that. So you made up a plan to get me out of prison eh? Then you must love me as much as I love you! Well it worked didn't it? You wanted me out, so now you have me!" Jeremy said, reaching out to grab her wrist.

"Jeremy, what are you doing?" Clair cried, trying to shake off his grip on her. "Jeremy let go! You're hurting me! Let go!" She was fighting him now with all her might, but he never budged. One hand he placed over her mouth so that she couldn't cry out anymore, and his free arm he wrapped around her middle making sure to include her arms so she couldn't struggle much either. Once he had this done, he started to drag her into the woods towards where he had a horse tied up waiting for them.

Figuring out what he was doing, Clair bit his hand. When he removed his hand in pain, she welled out. "NICHOLAS! HELP ME, NICHOLAS!" but he just hit her and put his hand back over her mouth. Knowing she couldn't do that again, she ground her feet into the ground as much as she could. One of her slippers fell of where they were standing, and the other when he pushed her up onto the horse. Since she was still wearing her ball gown, she had to ride side saddle. Pulling out a knife, Jeremy told her coolly, "If you make another sound that even resembles a cry for help, I will slit your throat. Do we understand each other?" Nodding her head, he let go of her mouth so that he could grab the reins with one hand and still hold her with the other.

Back in the garden, Nicholas heard a cry from someone that sounded like Clair, so he decided that he didn't care how much she fussed, he was going to follow her. Soon he arrived at the edge of the garden where it met the forest. He looked down and saw one of her slippers and a bunch of marks on the ground, indicating a struggle. Then he saw a continuous scuff mark going into the woods, so he quickly picked up the slipper and followed it, also pulling a belt knife meant for decoration, but still sharp. Just as he got to the clearing where the horse was, he saw Clair and Jeremy getting ready to bolt off. "Clair! Get away from her! What do you think you are doing? Let her go!" Nicholas demanded.

"You think that you have any power over me young lord ling? I don't think so. Have fun trying to explain this to your king!" Jeremy shouted as he kicked the horse to make it go. Getting a quick look at Clair, Nicholas saw that she was petrified, her eyes pleading him to help her.

As they galloped off Nicholas threw his knife hopping to hit Jeremy, but hitting a tree instead, then he noticed something glittering in the dirt beside the other glass slipper. He walked over to it and picked it up. It was a silver chain bracelet with a silver heart charm with an engraving which read: _To a wonderful friend with hope that we may never part. Nick, 12._ He had given her that bracelet five years ago, just before their friendship seamed to melt! _I can't believe she still has this! I mean, I gave that to her when we were twelve! Maybe she hasn't changed as much as I thought, or she just remembered she had it and...but that makes no sense because she hasn't been home. Maybe she left it her when she came last. But that was a long time ago. I bet that one of the maids found it, which means that they know who she is! No, they would have given it to father. I bet that he gave it to her. Yes, that must be it._ So lost in thought and worry over what would happen to Clair, Nicholas quickly made his way back to the manor to tell his father what had happened. Everything that had happened. _I just hope that I will see her again. Well, and that I will live past my fathers outrage._


	10. Chapter 9: Kidnapped Again

Chapter 9

Kidnapped Again

As Jeremy healed the horse to move forward, Clair thought she heard someone shouting and running after them. As she turned to see who it was, she saw Nicholas trying to catch up to them, yelling at Jeremy to let her go. Since she had promised Jeremy that she would not say anything, she looked at Nicholas with pure terror pleading with him to help her, but all she could really do was pray that he understood her look.

Racing through the woods, Clair tried to think of ways to get away from her actual kidnapper. _Oh this is real great. First I pretend to get kidnapped to get someone out of prison, and then the same psychopath **does** kidnap me! How in the world am I supposed to get out of this? Nicholas can't go to my father, because he will probably get killed, or at least will never be let out of the shackles in the dungeon. He can't follow because he is on foot and will never be able to catch up to the horse. I guess it is up to me to rescue myself. But how in the world am I supposed to do that?_

Lost in thought, she never even noticed that the horse was slowing until they had stopped. How long had they been ridding? It only seemed like a few minutes to her. Looking around, she saw that they were in the foothills of the mountain range creating the border of Trinadell and the neighboring country of Cashinday, which meant they had been riding for several hours if she remembered her geography correctly-probably not since that was her worst subject. In front of where the horse stood was a small path leading up the slope of one of the mountains. Clair could make out a roof peak poking out of the tree line about a forth of the way up, but she couldn't be sure because she was going off of how much light the moon gave off. "Welcome to your new home Princess! I hope that you will enjoy it as much as I will enjoy your company." Jeremy said to her cackling. Dismounting, he took the reins and started to lead her up the path, still on the horse.

When they got about halfway up to where the cabin was, Jeremy turned to her. "You have to walk from here. It gets to rough for the horse to carry anything but a few supplies past this point. But mark my words, if you try anything funny, I will hunt you down, and I won't be nice about it. Now start walking and keep to the trail."

Hopping down of the horse wincing because she had lost both of her slippers, Clair did as she was told and walked the rest of the way up to the cabin. Once they got there-it couldn't be much after midnight, Jeremy tied up the horse to the tiny porch railing. Grabbing her arm, he half dragged her into the cabin. Practically throughing her into the smaller of the two rooms, her quickly walked in behind her. "Don't you think this place is pretty Princess? Or do you prefer Clair, because that is what that lousy little lord ling calls you. Clair; I like the sound of that. Well Clair, do you find your accommodations suitable enough? I think you will grow to like it." Wrapping his hand in her hair, he pulled her up from where she lay sprawled on the floor from when he had pushed her into the small room. "Well, I am going to find some food for us to eat. Just remember though, I will find you if you try to run. Here is something to remember my promise by." Pulling her in, her pressed her tightly to his body and hissed her hard.

The kiss didn't last more than a few seconds, but it was the worst few seconds of Clair's life. Gathering all of her strength, she pulled away from him and slapped him with all her might. Stunned, Jeremy stepped back. After realizing what had happened, he hit her as hard as he could, sending her flying across the room onto the bed and tumbling off. "Not a smart move. When I get back, we are going to have a talk about that." And he stormed out.

Shaking, Clair pulled herself up onto the bed. She noticed that he didn't bother to lock the door. _Obviously he is very confident of his tracking skills! Well we shall see just how good they really are._ So she set to work on coming up with a plan to get herself out of this mess.

Back at the manor, Nicholas raced back into the ball room to find his father. Looking around, he saw that most everybody was still dancing, including his father and mother. Rushing over to them, he was stopped by a hoard of young women and some of their male escorts, asking where the Lady Saline had gone, how old she was. If she was courting anybody, where she had gotten her dress. Bla bla bla. "You can ask her yourself, but now if you will excuse me, I must talk with my father." he said shoving through them.

Finally reaching his parents, he pulled them aside. "Father, I need to talk with you. Could we possibly go to your private study?"

"Why yes of course my boy! But could it at least wait until the ball is over? I know that you have a lovely young lady friend waiting to dance with you." his father replied, trying to go back out onto the dance floor.

"But father, it is urgent! Clair has been kidnapped!" Nicholas half cried as he tugged on his father's arm turning him around again.

"Yes I know that already, and so do you. I know that you two were good friends, but there is nothing you can do about that. Now please Nicholas. You are making a scene. You go back and dance, or at least let your mother and I go!"

"Father! You have to listen to me! She was here!"

Stopping dead in his tracks, Lord Chase turned to look at his son. "Obviously you know more about this than I do. Please excuse us darling, but I think that our son had better explain himself, in my study. Please tell our guest that they may stay as long as there is still music playing." Turing to Nicholas, "Follow me. I don't want to hear a word out of you until we are in private.

Once the door was closed behind his son, Lord Chase went over and sat down behind his desk. "Explain yourself. And don't leave anything out." he demanded firmly. So Nicholas started to tell his father what had happened, starting with Clair coming to see him when he was at his uncle's cottage in the city.

"A very interesting tail you tell, but how do I know that you are really telling the truth? I trust you son, but you have been getting into a bit of trouble as of late. So, what proof do you have?" Nicholas' father questioned him. Holding out his hand, Nicholas showed his father the bracelet that he had given her and had later found in the dirt, and her dropped slippers. "Yes, you told me of these, but what else?"

"There are struggle marks in the dirt where Jeremy took her, and then hoof prints where the horse had been." he answered.

After showing his father the marks, Nicholas and his father talked about ways to approach the king. "We have to go and talk with him. That is the only way I can see him ever agreeing to letting you look for her."

"What? I'm not going to look for her! Have some of the Royal Guards go after her! Clair has already caused me enough problems, so let her cause problems for someone else now." Nicholas growled.

"How many times do I have to tell you to call her by her title? She is a **princess**, so you call her princess! And you are going to look for her, because you are the reason she got kidnapped in the first place! Yes, you have told me that it was not really a kidnapping, but it really was! Now you listen to me young man, you are going to come with me and talk to the king. Then you will go out with Lord Randal and some of the Royal Guard, and you are going to find that girl! Now go saddle up the horses. We leave as soon as I can tell our guests that I must bid them goodnight, and tell your mother when she will be able to get a hold of us again. Move boy, move!"

So Nicholas went up to his rooms to gather some clothes in a bag, and then down to the stables to saddle up his and his father's horses. When his father arrived in the stables, he had a bag of food with him and had changed his clothes. _Why didn't I think to do that?_ So off they went, galloping as fast as it was safe to go in the middle of the night.


	11. Chapter 10: An Attempted Escape

Chapter 10

An Attempted Escape

As it grew close to dawn, there was still no sign of Jeremy, so Clair decided to sneak out of her room to see what was in the kitchen. Opening the cupboards and the drawers, but could find nothing. Apparently, she would have to do with no food when she left. _I guess that now is as good a time as any. He hasn't been here since he left, which was to be hours ago! I just hope that he doesn't plan on returning any time soon._ So she crept to the door and was about to pull it open when it did on its own. Shocked, Clair stepped back to see why. "And where do you think you are going?"

"Um, I was looking for a restroom. You weren't back yet, so I thought that I would just go look for one." she replied stepping back away from the door, thankful that she didn't have anything in her hands.

"Right. Did you think to look down the hall next to the porch door? We may be in the mountains in the woods, but we still have indoor toilets, no matter how new they are. Well, if you have to go so bad, then go!"

"Oh, right. Excuse me." she said as she rushed to the back of the cabin. Shutting the door, she lit a candle so that she could see. (a/n: running water was the only modern convenience in the middle ages, though only to flush toilets and to get water into a castle or manor, (only people who had enough money to pay for it had running water, meaning nobles) but not until the high middle ages, which is when this story takes place) Clair figured that he was probably listening to make sure that she was doing what she said she had to do, so she went.

"Feel better now Clair?" Jeremy smirked at her from the table in the crude kitchen.

"Please do not call me that." Clair said, trying hard to keep the resentment out of her voice.

"Oh, but you let that phony Lord Nicholas call you that! Don't you like having people act normal around you? I believe that is what you tell people, or am I mistaken?"

Glaring at him, she made her way back to her without eating what he had brought back. Once in her room, Clair closed the door and surveyed it for what seemed like the hundredth time since being there. There was a bed right in front of her with a small night stand to the right of it with a wash basin on top of it. There was a small wardrobe on the wall to her right, and opposite it was a window with a bench underneath it that he had found in the 'living room'. Walking over to it, she sat down on the bench and looked out the window up at the night ski.

Since it was an old cabin, there were no glass pains, for they were very expensive, but she didn't mind because there was a nice cool autumn breeze brushing back her still half done-up hair. _I miss my father so much! I know that he is thinking that I should be home by now, or that there is still another thing in which he must do to get me back. I wonder what he is doing right at this moment? What about Nicholas? He must be so worried! I can't believe that I let him get to me, I mean, what was I thinking? He doesn't care about me, so why should I care about him? That kiss did mean nothing. So then why was my heart racing so, and why was I out of breath? I just wish that I could go home!_ Making herself even more depressed, Clair started to weep, but muffled the sounds in her sleeves. However, she did miss a tear, which fell from her cheek onto one of the rose petals from the rose bush under her window sill. Sparkling, the tear fell to the center of the rose, and started to grow, but Clair never noticed.

Walking over to the wardrobe, she looked to see if there were any clothes she could put on because she was still in her ball gown, which was now quite dirty from her ride and trek through the forest. But to her dismay, there was nothing, so she flopped down on her bed and fell asleep.

Waking with a start, Clair stared around her room for she could have sworn that there was a reason that she had waken. Seeing nothing, she lay back down, but all of a sudden, there was a brilliant flask of bright bluish white light. Sitting up straight, she stared out the window to see that the sun was rising over the mountain tops, but that was not what had caught her eye. Looking in the corner of the room, she saw a figure in that bright light that she had seen. Gasping with shock, Clair rose to her feet rapidly and got as far from the figure as she could in her small room.

"Don't be afraid child! I am here to help you!" it said. With the light dieing down, Clair could see that is was a woman with long white hair, though she still looked quite young.

"W-who are you?" she asked with a feeble voice. "H-how did you get in here without Jeremy seeing you? Wait, you are real, are you not?"

"Of course I am real! As real as that tear you shed! Now, who am I? Why, I'm your fairy Godmother of course!" the woman answered her.

"My what? I never knew that I had a fairy godmother! Why was I not told?" Clair demanded.

"Because nobody knew about me. All young ladies have fairy godmothers, but we can only come to you in your times of most need. For you, this would be now."

"But how did you get here?"

"Have you never heard the stories of those who have seen their fairy godmothers? What about you mother or grandmother? Have they never told you?" she asked Clair who just shook her head. "Oh dear, then I have some explaining to do. Let's see, where to begin...

"Well, to start off, all fairy godmothers have magical powers. Now don't interrupt me child, or I may never finish! Now where was I? Oh yes, with our powers, we are able to do things that no one ever dreamed possible. Being able to do so enables us to help humans, such as yourself! But there are rules that we must follow. The most important of which, is that we can only interfere with the lives of our mortal charges only when they are in dyer need of help, or in mortal danger. Though once we have made ourselves known, we are aloud to give advice to our charges, and to help guide them. How do we do this? Here, take this. It may look like just a simple crystal figure, but if you look closely, you can see that it looks exactly like me!

"In order to work it, all you have to do is shed a tear, and it, I, will 'come to life' and so then we can talk to each other! Quite ingenious if you ask me. Now, how do you summon a fairy? All you have to do is cry on a flower, which you have done when you shed that tear on the rose outside of your window. Okay, I think that that is enough talk for now. Time for business now."

Walking around the tiny room, the woman stopped to stair at the wardrobe. "I think that I shall get you some other clothes that that dress. It is a fine dress, don't mistake me, but it is not appropriate for this."

"Um, miss fairy godmother? What do I call you? I mean, do you have a name?" Clair tentatively asked her.

"Oh dear me, it seems that I have completely forgotten my manners! Please for give me Princess Clair. My name is Kallie. Now here, try this on, it should fit." Kallie said, holding out a fine woolen green dress, which of course, fit Clair perfectly. "Now to figure out a way out of here. Hmm. Maybe, no, to obvious. Or we could, no, to risky. Or I, no, I'm not allowed. Well shoot! This will take a little longer than I thought. Ah ha! Here is what you are going to do." Coming over to Clair, Kallie started to whisper in her ear what she was to do.


	12. Chapter 11: Meeting With the King

Chapter 11

Meeting with the King

Riding up to the palace gates, Nicholas started to get increasingly nervous, for if he didn't say the right things, he could be taking Jeremy's place in the execution line. "Halt, how goes there?" cried one of the guards at the gate.

"My name is Lord Chase and this is my son Nicholas. We have urgent news for the king, concerning his daughter. If you would please see that the king sees us immediately, we could be able to save her life." Nicholas' father told the guard.

"Yes Sir, right away Sir. Call the king! Someone call for the king!" the guard shouted up the road. "If you would please go and wait for him in his chambers, I am sure that he will be with you shortly. He is very distressed over his daughter you see..."

"Thank you, that will be all." his father cut the guard off, riding up the road.

Once in the king's sitting room, they only had to wait for a few minutes before the king came barreling in, still in his night robes, for it was still dark out. "One of my servants said that you had news of my daughter?" he asked, obviously distressed over the matter of the princess's kidnapping.

"I do not my Lord, but my son does. If I may introduce to you my son, Nicholas." Lord Chase said, bowing to the king.

Stepping forwards to do the same, Nicholas told King Andrew what had happened that night, and everything that had happened up until then.

"You come with a strong case that you are an innocent partner in this, but why should I believe that you didn't actually hold my daughter against her will?"

"Sire, you know that we were friends as children, do you not?" Nicholas asked.

"Well, I know that you would spend a lot of time together playing but..."

"If I may interrupt Your Highness, but here is proof of my words!" Nicholas held out the silver chain bracelet with the engraving out to the king.

"What is this? This is proof of nothing!"

"Read it."

After reading the inscription, the king looked even graver than before. "So if what you are telling me is true, then my daughter could be as good as dead." he said.

"No, that is not true Sire. I don't think that Jeremy would kill Clair. I mean, Princess Clair." Nicholas corrected receiving a glare from his father and from the king. "I believe that she is safe for the moment, but I do not know how much longer she will remain that way."

"But how in the light are we supposed to find her? They could be anywhere!"  
"I have an idea of where they went, but I'm not positive. As a boy, I would climb the mountains bordering the kingdom. They are not far from where we live, and I remember a cabin a little ways up one of them. If I am correct, then we should be able to find the princess, but if not, then they would have had to pass by there, because that is the only trail that a horse could follow easily, so we should be able to track them."

"You are young, about my daughter's age, yet you know so much! I am glad that your father and I arranged that betrothal for you and my daughter, but I'm afraid that it will never be carried out if we don't find her. Please, young Nicholas, find her, and you may have whatever you wish as a wedding gift. Please! She means the world to me. You must find her!" at this point, the king was on his knees in front of Nicholas weeping.

_What betrothal? Wait, you mean that Uncle was right? No way! I thought that I would be rid of her after this! _he thought with a silent groan. _Well, I guess I'll just have to make the best of it. _"Sire, I think that we should start getting men together. We should move out at first light."

"Good idea lad. Guard! Send for my son, Lord Randal. Tell him that he is to come here, even if he is not dressed."

"Yes your Highness. Right away your Highness." said the guard, backing out of the room to carry out his orders.

Minutes later, Lord Randal arrived in the room, wearing a bath robe pajama pants and slippers. "You called father?" he said, bowing himself into the room.

"Yes, gather your best tracking soldiers that will not complain about ridding really quickly, and put them on our best and fastest horses, even if they are not their own. I think that five will do. What about you lad? What do you think, since I am putting you in charge of this mission?"

"In charge father? But he is just a boy! What mission? I do not understand why I had to be roused to early."

"This boy as you call him, believes that he knows where Clair is. You are going to gather your men, and follow him."

"Oh does he now. And tell me, how do you know? Is it because you were the one who kidnapped her?"

"Don't be ridiculous! We were friends, not enemies! I will tell you about it later. I agree with the king. Five trackers, that are also skilled in fighting and hiding. They, and you, must also agree not to go running after shadows. I will tell you when to do something, and when to attack. We do not leave until I have every man's consent to those terms. We leave as soon as there is enough light to see clearly." Nicholas told Randal, unsure if he was overstepping his boundaries or not.

"Yes sir." Rand said, shocked at what Nicholas was saying. "I'll go get my best men. Meet me in the stables at dawn. If that is all right with you I mean."

Knowing that this was weird for the young lord, Nicholas agreed. After Rand had left, he turned back to the king to discuss plans and tactics in order to get his daughter back.

When Nicholas finally emerged from the room, it was almost dawn. Turning to his father, he wished him a safe journey home.

"Be safe lad, and make sure that you bring the princess home."

"Father, why did you not tell me that I was betrothed?" Nicholas asked.

"Well, you uncle thought it best not to tell you really, because you were so young. But then you stopped seeing her, well, we almost called it off. I know that I should have told you, but it was for the best not to just then."

"Does Clair, I mean, does Princess Clair know?"

"I doubt it, but when you rescue her, you can ask her for herself. Or you could just simply ask her to marry you! After all, you are both of age now. Well, I had better start out. I have a long ride ahead. Swift ridding my son." And with that, he was off.

Walking to the stable, Nicholas saw that all of the men where already on their horses, so he walked over and got onto his. Giving the command, they raced over the bridge and through the gates just as the sun was coming up over the mountains.


	13. Chapter 12: Excuses

I'm am ssoooooooooooooooo sorry that it has taken me so long to up-date! My computer got a virus and I lost all of my writtings and ideas that I had saved. School has also been very busy. I'll try and write more often, but I can't promise anyting. The story is almost finished, but I still have about five more chapters left. Maybe more, maybe less....we'll see! Well, on with the story!

Chapter 12

Excuses

"Do I really have to do this? I just don't see how this will get me home, if anything, it will make him want to keep me here even longer!" complained Clair.

"Yes, you do have to do this. Now trust me, if a man hates anything, it's a woman who can't make up her mind. I know that this is uncomfortable for you, but if you honestly want to see your father again, then you will have to trust me!" explained Kallie, Clair's fairy-godmother, for the fifth time that night. It had been three days since Jeremy had kidnapped Clair, and she was really starting to miss her father, as well as Nicholas, even though she would never admit it to anyone.

"Everything is uncomfortable for me! I have been kidnapped! Do you really think that this is supposed to be fun? You try it sometime!" Clair practically shouted. "If I have to do this, then fine, but if something goes wrong, it's all you're fault!" Kallie had conjured up another dress for Clair to wear, since the first one was way too nice. This one was a plain blue linen dress, but it was dirty because Clair had been working in it for two days now; it wasn't really dirty though, it just had that appearance because Kallie cleaned it with her magic every night.

Looking out the small dirty window, Clair saw that it was sun up, and rushed for the door, so that Jeremy didn't slap her again for not getting up to do his chores.

After three hours of cleaning his clothes, washing his horse, feeding his horse, and attempting to clean the porch, Clair came inside the cabin to sit down. When she walked in, she saw that Jeremy was up and sitting at the table, waiting for her.

"Are you not going to make me breakfast?" Jeremy asked her with a grin.

"How many times do I have to tell, I can't cook! So unless you want me to poison you on accident, which I wouldn't mind doing, I suggest that you make your own food." Clair retorted, glaring at him.

"I thought that would be your answer, so I gathered up a list of things that you can do for me instead." he told her, smiling slyly. "It appears that you have finally finished cleaning the outside of the cabin, so now you can start on the inside. The living room needs to be straightened, the bedrooms need to be cleaned, and the kitchen needs a good scrubbing."

Taking a breath, Clair managed to squeak out what Kallie had told her to say. "But, I thought that we would be able to spend some time together? All I have done since getting here is clean and do chores, and you hunt all night, so how are we supposed to get to know each other, if one of us is always busy?" Towards the end of her speech, she was trying very hard not to gag from disgust of even mentioning spending time with him.

"So you do love me! And I thought that you were just putting on a game the last three days. Well, after your chores are done, we can spend some time together then. Is that all right with you your Highness?" he asked her mockingly.

All Clair could do was nod, because she didn't want to say something that would get her into even bigger trouble with him.

When Clair did finally finish her chores, it was almost dark. Coming into the cabin after washing her face outside, she saw that Jeremy was on the couch. "You said that you wanted to spend time together, so how about here? Come sit down next to me." he commanded her.

Obediently, she walked over and sat on the far side of the couch from him. Noticing this, Jeremy scooted over to where he was right next to her. Taking her in his arms, he tried to kiss her, but she pretended to sneeze. _Good distraction!_ she thought to herself, because she really didn't think that she could go through with this. _Just keep making excuses until he gives up!_ Again, he tried to kiss her, but this time she hick-upped. Instead of trying to kiss her again, Jeremy started to rub her back and shoulders, hopping to loosen her up.

After a few minutes, Jeremy tried one last time to kiss her, but she pretended to have a fit of coughing, so she ran to get a glass of water. "I give up! You obviously don't want to be with me right now, so I'm going to go to bed. We can try this again tomorrow." And with that, he went into his room to sleep.

Shaking, Clair walked into her room and did the same.

For the next four days, Jeremy came up with things for her to do, and at night, tried to get cozy with her, but she kept backing away from him.

On the seventh day of her imprisonment, Jeremy decided to go hunting again. "I'll be back before sun up. Don't try and run, because you won't get very far. I have seen bear tracks around the cabin, so unless you want to get eaten, I suggest that you wait for me to come back. Have fun!"

_This is the night when I make a run for it._ Clair decided. She waited by the door for two hours after dark, just to make sure that he wasn't coming back. After waiting, Clair crept to the door, opened it a crack, looked outside, and snuck out.


	14. Chapter 13: Planning a Rescue

Chapter 13

Planning a Rescue

It was now the seventh day since Clair had been kidnapped, and Nicholas thought he was going insane. Even with only seven men, travel was still very slow. The journey back to Lansing took an entire day, instead of the four hour ride it normally takes.

Once in the town, they stayed for a day to rest the horses and gather supplies. At sun-up on the third day, the group set out, but only made it to the foot of the mountains. The forth and fifth days were spent making their way up to the path that would lead them the rest of the way up.

On the sixth day, Nicolas gave a speech to his companions, who included five expert trackers and bowmen, and Lord Randal, the King's son and Clair's brother. "It should only take us today to reach a cabin at the end of this trail, but we have to go by foot, because the horses can not do this with riders. Once we get to the clearing, no one is to make a sound. If for some reason you get there before me, don't do anything until I say to. Is this understood?"

"Yes sir." was the reply from the soldiers.

"Lord Randal, I need to know that you agree with my plans." Nicholas said impatiently. Rand had been giving him trouble ever since day one because he thought that since he was the King's son and Clair's brother, he should be the one in charge, not Nicholas.

"Fine, I will abide by your rules." Randal replied grumpily. He was truly worried about his sister. She was to be the next ruler of their country, and yet she somehow managed to get kidnapped! _How could she be so foolish as to trust a man like this? She should know better. When I find her, I am going to giver the biggest talking too that not even father can match! I just hope that she is okay and that this bastard has not harmed or violated her._ he thought to himself.

It was long past dark when they finally got to the end of the trail. Knowing that at any moment Lord Randal would try and run to the cabin and search it, Nicholas put the men to work. "It is dark, and I don't know what kind of traps that Jeremy could have put up around the cabin if they are there, so I want everyone to rest tonight. In the morning, we will keep a look out for any signs of inhabitance, and tomorrow night, we will make our move. No one is to go anywhere near that cabin, am I clear?" he got nods in return.

The sun was setting on the seventh day, but Nicholas had seen little evidence that anyone was there. The few tracks that he had seen were days old, and he dared not go up to a window in case someone was looking out of it. Nicholas decided that to be safe, he would set up a perimeter around the cabin to make sure that no one who leave or enter without their knowing. "I want two men guarding the back of the cabin. There is a door there, so make sure that you stay out of sight! If you even think that someone has spotted you, make some sort of animal noise to give them a false image. I also want two men on each side. There are window there as well, so make sure that you are also out of sight. I am going to guard the front door. If any of you see any sign of Jeremy or the Princess Clarissa, give a bird call. If I want you to move in to search the cabin, then I will give the same call. Okay, now move!"

Finally, just after it got dark, Nicholas saw the cabin door open a little. Stepping deeper into the shade of the trees, Nicholas watched as Jeremy stepped out of the cabin and closed the door. _I'll wait a while and then go in to see if Clair is in there. Oh God, I hope she is still okay._ he prayed silently.

After sitting there for a few hours, Nicholas was about to move in when he saw the door open again. No sure if it was Clair or someone of Jeremy hired to help, he stayed where he was. A figure poked their head out the door, slowly slipped through the crack, and closed the door quietly. From the little bit of light that the full moon was giving off, Nicholas could tell that is was a girl. This girl was wearing a very dirty dress with her long dark hair in tangles, and she was caked in filth from head to toe.


	15. Chapter 14: Rescued

I am finally able to sort out what I want to write, so here is another chapter. I'm not sure when I'll post my next one, so keep checking for it! Thanks to all my readers, I love reading what you have to say about it. On with the story!

Chapter 14

Rescued

As he watched, Nicholas saw that this girl was headed directly at him, but he was certain that she did not know he was there. When she was just about upon him, he jumped forward, grabbed her with one arm and clasped his free hand around her mouth so that she couldn't scream. As soon as she saw him, the girl put up her arms in order to fend him off of her, but he was too quick, so instead she just ended up digging her fingers into his chest and trying to push him back.

At once Nicholas realized that this girl was Clair, but he was too afraid that if he let her go, she would scream and signal to Jeremy that something was wrong. _I bet she thinks that I am Jeremy._ he thought to himself miserably. Trying to calm her down, he started talking to her, "Clair, Clair you're alright. Clair, stop struggling! Calm down! It's me! It's Nicholas, I'm not Jeremy! Please stop struggling against me Clair; I'm not going to hurt you!"

Quickly, Clair walked into the woods hoping that Jeremy wasn't there waiting for her. Almost instantly after she took her first step into the woods, she saw a figure lunging for her, so she automatically thought that it was Jeremy, so she put up her hands in order to try and fend him off, but he was too quick.

Clair struggled against him, but she couldn't break away. It took her a few second to realize that this man was talking to her, so she listened. "...stop struggling! Calm down! It's me! It's Nicholas, I'm not Jeremy! Please stop struggling against me Clair; I'm not going to hurt you!"

_It can't be Nicholas, this is a trick! You're mind is playing with you, don't give in...don't give in! _she thought to herself desperately. _Don't believe him; he is just trying to trick you!_ But she couldn't make herself not listen. Slowly, she stopped fighting, and realized that it really was Nicholas, and that she was safe. Breaking down at the thought of being free, Clair leaning into Nicholas and cried.

"Hush! Hush, you mustn't cry! You're safe, I promise! I won't let him hurt you again!" Nicholas tried to calm her down, but it wasn't working. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her into a comforting hug. "Oh Clair, what did he do to you? This isn't the strong tough willed girl I know, what did he do to you? Clair, you have to tell me!"

After a few minutes of him just holding her, Clair backed away from Nicholas. "I don't want to talk about it." she mumbled to him, wiping away her tears on her already dirty sleeve.

"You don't have to tell me, but Lord Randal is going to ask and......oh, we need to go tell the others that I have you. Your brother has been worried sick about you and..."

"My brother is here? I do not want to see him. We can just leave now and I will be perfectly fine with that." Clair said stubbornly.

"No, I need to tell the soldiers that I brought with me, or else they are going to attack Jeremy, and your father would not be pleased with that." Nicholas told her in a very matter of fact tone.

_Wow, Nicholas has changed since I've been gone! I'm starting to see the old, confident Nick who loved to get into mischief, but hated getting into trouble; and blamed it all on me. _Clair thought to herself, trying not to laugh because she knew that this was not funny in the slightest. "If I have to go, then I'll go, but I am not talking to Lord Randal." she told him, saying her brother's name with disgust.

"Just because he gave up the crown to you, does not me that you have to hate him. He did not do anything wrong!" Nicholas told her.

"Yes he did! I have to be queen now because of that dolt! He renounced he title, so that he could marry whomever he chooses! I on the other hand, have to marry whomever my father chooses!" she shouted at him.

Feeling hurt, Nicholas started walking to where some of his men were on the side of the cabin, knowing that Clair would follow him. Reaching the first group, he told one of his soldiers to get the others.

A few minutes later, the five soldiers and Randal were all running over to Nicholas, thinking that they were finally going to attack the cabin. "Did you see somebody sir?" asked one of the soldiers.

"Are we finally going to ambush them?" asked anther."

"Let me guess," sneered Randal. "You finally figured out that there is no one here. Am I correct?" Smirking, he sat on the ground with his back to a tree. "I don't know what my father was thinking putting you in command. You have never led anybody before, and you have never gone out to find anybody, so how are you supposed to be able to find my sister? If you would just relinquish your commands to me, we wouldn't be going on some wild goose chase up through these hills! I know where he took her, he took Clarissa to the castle in Cashinday, to stay with my cousins. If we go there, I am sure that we can work out a deal in order to get the Princess back."

"You are wrong Lord Randal, we are not leaving, and I am not giving up my command to you. Yes, you have more experience than I do at saving people, but I grew up in these woods, and I know that this is the only way over these mountains without having to go around them. I also know that the Princess Clair and Jeremy were here, and that Jeremy will be coming back here any moment, so we best be ready. I called you here, because I saw Jeremy leave the cabin a few hours ago..." Nicholas started but was cut of by an up roar from the six men.

"You saw him?" "You didn't attack him?" "Was the Princess with him? Is she still alive?" "Why didn't you tell us this sooner? Did you think that you could do this all on your own?" the last comment came from Randal.

Holding up his hands for silence, Nicholas finished what he had been saying. "...and waited to see if he was coming beck so that I could get inside the cabin. He did not come back, but when I was about to go inside, the door opened again." He stopped to make sure they did not have another outburst. Seeing that they were too shocked to speak, he continued. "When the door opened, I saw a figure come out. It came directly at me, so I captured it. She is covered in filth, but I think you will be able to recognize her." Stepping aside, he put Clair in the view of the men. Each in turn dropped their jaws in shock, and fell to the ground on one knee with a fist on the ground, into a bow. All except for Randal.

"Are we seriously supposed to believe that this is my sister? Come on, even my man servant could find someone who looks more similar to her than this twit. Now tell me why you will not give up command again, or should I just take over command my force?"

"You know what Randal? You have always been an insufferable jerk with no feelings and no brain. You have always said mean things about me behind my back, even when you thought I could not hear you. You are a pig headed, wool brained cow, and I'm glad that you are not going to be king, because then our country would have an even worse ruler than our cousins do!" Clair exploded with so much hate and irritation in her voice that Nicholas stood there gaping at her, along with the soldiers. Randal sat against the tree with as much surprise in his eyes ate pain at what his sister had said.

"You are alive!" he finally managed to get. Rushing to his feet, he ran over to his sister, enveloping him in the biggest bear hug he could with her shoving him away. "I thought that I would never see you again! Father is worried sick about you, and Cleopatra and Annabelle can not figure out why you have not come to the nursery to play with them. The whole castle is a mess! Praise God that he did not do anything too..." realizing what he was saying, he pulled back and looked at Clair. "He did not do anything to you, did he?" he asked hesitantly.

Stiffening, Clair pulled out of his reach and stared at the ground. "I am fine." she mumbled. _What would they think if they knew? What would happen to me if any of them found out that I had to purposefully dangle myself in front of him? Did he do anything to me? No. Did he hurt me? Hell yes! Will I ever be comfortable with anyone ever again? I do not know...what am I going to do? _she thought to herself woefully.

Noticing that she was uncomfortable, Nicholas put his hand on her shoulder, but she quivered so he took it off. Taking command again, he turned to the men before him. "Okay, we need to find Jeremy. From what I gather, he is out hunting, because he had a quiver full of arrows and a bow. I want you to split up into groups of two and look for him. Randal, if I may, I want you to stay at the cabin in case he comes back. You are the best fighter, so I want to make sure that if he does happen to get back here without our noticing, you will be able to detain him. Jeremy is to be kept alive! If any of you kill him, I will have your life as well! Those are the king's orders, not mine. Move out!"


	16. Chapter 15: The Fight

Chapter 15

The Fight

After her rampage, Clair was to upset to just stand around while the boys got to hunt for her captor, so she stalked off in the direction of where her horse was when Jeremy brought her up here. Noticing that she was about to do something stupid, Nicholas followed her. When she was mounted, her leaped onto the horse behind her.

"What are you doing?" Clair exclaimed, turning around in the saddle to face him.

"I am going with you. You are not going to hunt for Jeremy by yourself, if that is what you are doing." Nicholas told her promptly.

"You can not come with me!" Clair shouted at him. "I am going to find him, by myself, and hurt him! You can not come with me! Get off of this horse this instant." But he didn't budge. "As your princess, I am ordering you to get off this horse!" she shouted in irritation.

"As your guardian appointed by your father, I am not going to oblige in your request Princess. I know that if I let you go off by yourself, you will get lost, and probably into even more trouble than you were." Nicholas retorted, taking the reins from her and starting the horse forwards.

Knowing that it was a pointless cause to keep arguing with him, Clair just sat there in stubborn silence. After a few minutes, Nicholas tried to strike up a conversation, but ended up saying the wrong thing.

"He didn't hurt you, did he? I mean, you do not look physically hurt, I mean, he did not…"

"How dare you imply such a thing!" she fussed, totally shocked that he would ask such a question. "You have no write to inquire what he did or did not do to me. And if it even was any of your business, I am perfectly fine." At the end of that, she was so quiet that Nicholas could hardly hear what she had said, so he assumed that she was hurt, but did not want anyone to know what happened.

After a few hours of ridding around trying to find Jeremy, Nicholas finally noticed some tracks that he thought looked like boots. Climbing down, he led the horse a little ways on into a small clearing, where they came upon Jeremy getting ready to shoot a dear with his bow and arrow. Seeing a twig on the ground, Nicholas took the advantage in stepping on it, startling the dear, and Jeremy, so that when he shot, the arrow missed the dear as it took off.

Spinning around, Jeremy came face to face with Nicholas who was steadily advancing on him. "What are you doing here Lordling? I thought that you would be curled up in your mansion reading a book without a care in the world about having to find your darling princess yourself." Jeremy said, giving a little laugh.

"Obviously you do not know me very well. I came to find Princess Clair, and to take you back into custody for the King. Now that I have you, let's go get the princess shall we? I am sure that she will have some words to say to you." Nicholas told him, smirking.

"Ha! You just happened to come upon me. You will never find her, and I will never take you to her! You really are not as cleaver as you think you are sir."

"Oh, really? I think that he is quite a cleaver young man." Clair said, stepping out of the shadows of the surrounding trees.

"Clair, what are you doing? You should have stayed with the horse!" Nicholas said, shocked at seeing her standing behind him.

"You obviously do not have her train as well as I do. She actually obeys me when I tell her to do something." Jeremy said laughing.

"I beg your pardon! I am not a dog who does whatever she is told!" with that, she stepped up to him and slapped him as hard as she could.

Stepping back away from her, Jeremy shook his head trying to clear his eyes because they were watering. In furry, he grabbed Clair to try and hurt her, but Nicholas saw what he was going to do ahead of time, and pulled her out of his reach protectively behind him. "Give me the girl!" Jeremy shouted in frustration.

"Why should I let you have her? All you will do is make her your slave!" Nicholas said.

"That is all they are good for, making pets out of them. That and play toys." Having said that, Jeremy lunged for Nicholas, intending to fight him in order to get to Clair. Jeremy threw his first punch, catching Nicholas off guard and hitting him in the stomach. Nicholas, even though he had just had the wind knocked out of him, threw a punch of his own, hitting Jeremy in the face. The two of them fought for some time. When they were tiring, they were both covered in welts and bruises.

Knowing that he was loosing, Jeremy collapsed on the ground, pretending to be defeated. "I give up! I surrender! You can have the girl! You can probably think of something better for her to do than I could anyways. Just let me be!" Jeremy exclaimed, out of breath.

Turning around to make sure Clair was alright, Nicholas didn't see Jeremy reach for his bow and quiver of arrows, but Clair did. Knowing what he was going to do, Clair rushed towards Nicholas from where she had been standing in the shadows, watching in horror as the two had fought over her.

"Nicholas! Nicholas, look out! Behind you! No!" Clair screamed, as Jeremy released the arrow.

Figuring out what she was shouting at him for, Nicholas turned around, but he was not quick enough to dodge the arrow, but instead of hitting him in the heart, he was hit in the shoulder. Clair reached him just as he was falling to the ground, so she was able to ease his way down.

"Nicholas! No! You have to get up! Please, just get up!" she cried. Looking up, she saw Jeremy standing over them grinning.

"Now who will protect you?" he said, laughing at her.

Standing up, Clair threw the hardest punch she could muster up, and hit him square in the jaw. Jeremy was so surprised at how much strength that she had, that he fell to the ground. In furry, Clair kicked him in the ribs, and kept kicking him until he grunted and passed out from the pain. Falling back to the ground, she noticed that Nicholas was bleeding a lot, and that she needed to get help.

"Nicholas, can you hear me? I need you to get up on the horse. Can you get up?" she asked softly.

Opening his eyes, Nicholas saw her kneeling over him with a concerned look on her face. Nodding, he sat up slowly. Grunting in pain, he tried to stand up, but sat down again as soon as he got to his knees. "It hurts too much. I'm sorry." He grunted in pain.

Pleading desperately, she convinced him to just get onto the horse. Leading the horse back to the cabin, Clair was contemplating how long it would take to get to someone who could help them. Before she could come up with an answer, she stumbled into one of the soldiers that were looking for Jeremy.

"Oh, excuse me Princess." He said bowing. "What happened?" he said noticing Nicholas slumped in the saddle of the horse.

"We found Jeremy, and they fought. Jeremy is unconscious in the woods not far from here, but he shot Lord Nicholas in the shoulder with an arrow. I need to get him some help! Please, go get the others and find Jeremy. I am going to ride into town to get help." She rambled as quickly as she could.

"Yes, of course Princess!" the soldier said rushing off.

Coming across another horse which she knew to be Nicholas's, she hopped on and started to race the horses to the path which led to the bottom of the mountain.

"Someone help me! Please, someone help me!" Clair cried upon reaching the nearest town. It was after dark, so most people were either on their way or already in bed. Seeing a light come on in a house near by, Clair rushed over to the door. As it opened, she pleaded with the man in a night shirt to come and look at Nicholas.

"What on earth happened to him?" the man asked.

"He got into a fight rescuing me from my kidnapper. Can you help him Sir, please? He has lost a lot of blood, and you are the first person I have run into." Clair was on the brink of tears by the time she stopped.

"Yes, yes, of course. Let me help him inside. There is a pot of hat water in the kitchen, and a towel on the table. Run inside and help me clean him up." The man told her.

"Oh, thank you so much Sir! You don't know what this means to me." she cried as she ran inside.


	17. Chapter 16: Engaged

Chapter 16

Engaged

_Where am I? Ouch, my shoulder hurts! What happened?_ Sitting up, Nicholas looked around. What he saw shocked him. He was in his own room! _How did I get here? Oh no! Clair? Is she okay? What happened to Jeremy?_ While he was thinking, I almost did not notice the door open silently. "Who is there?" he called to the person standing behind the door.

Slowly, a tiny figure wearing a flowing skirt, walked into the room. "Clair? Is that you?" Nicholas croaked as his eyes tried to focus on who was walking towards him.

"Lord Nicholas, you should be resting, not hopping around your room. Now lay down." A soft, musical voice told him.

Laughing softly to himself, he lay back in his bed. "I was only sitting up, not jumping around my room Princess. I think that of all people, you would know that." Nicholas told her jokingly.

"How many times must I tell you not to call me that?" Clair asked exasperated. "How is your shoulder feeling?" she asked sitting on the edge of his bed.

"It hurts. How did we get here?"

"We rode down here with you half falling off of your horse. We got to the first town and I got someone to help me take the arrow out of your shoulder. You had lost a lot of blood, and I did not think that I could make it all the way here without any help. The man was very nice, and he served as an escort the rest of the way. You owe your life to him. Your father has paid him handsomely for his services."

"That was nice of him to do." Nicholas said, at a loss for words. Finally, he got enough courage to ask what had been on his mind. "What happened up there? Are you okay?" he asked timidly.

Staring at him, Clair did not know what to say. In her mind, she did not want to tell him what happened, but in her heart, she wanted to spill her soul to him. "I am fine." She finally said weakly.

"No you are not. I know you well enough to know when you are lying, and you just lied to me. Please Clair, tell me what happened!" he said, sitting up in bed, ignoring her silent protests to keep him down.

"Nothing that concerns you! If you keep pestering me about it, I will not come back to check on how you are doing." Just as she said that, the door opened and a servant walked into the room.

"Please excuse my interruption, but Princess, I must ask you to please leave. The young sir needs his rest. Oh, I was told to tell you that your father and brother have just arrived. You are being summoned to join them in the library." said the servant, closing the door when she left.

"I must go. My father probably wants to pester me as to what happened, just like you have been doing. Feel better." She stood up hesitating. "Thank you. I probably owe you my life. You were very brave fighting Jeremy like you did, and coming to rescue me. I just wanted to thank you." Walking to the door and left.

Waking up, Nicholas heard a sound in the corner of his room. Listening harder, he noticed that it sounded like someone crying, so he sat up to see who it was. In the corner of his room, a girl sat on the floor with her knees pulled up under her chin. Her arms were wrapped around her knees and her skirt was spread out around her on the floor. Her head was wresting on top of her arms.

Hearing the sound of rustling sheets, the girl popped her head up to see Nicholas staring at her. "What is the matter? Clair, why are you crying?" he asked gently, getting out of bed and crossing the room to sit next to her. He stopped short, noticing something on her wrist. "What are you wearing?"

Looking at her wrist, Clair had fresh tears run down her cheeks. Nicholas quickly walked over to her and put his arms around her, pulling her into a protective hug. "Why are you crying?" he asked again.

Leaning into him, Clair tried to get a hold of herself. Finally she answered him. "This is a gift." She said indicating the chain bracelet on her wrist which had a charm on it. "It is not an ordinary gift though. It is a gift from my suitor! I am to be engaged! Oh Nick, I am too young to be engaged! I am only seventeen!" After she finished, she started to cry again, not wanting to believe what she had just said.

"Is that what your father came here to tell you about? That you are engaged?" Nicholas asked softly. She nodded her head, because she was afraid that if she said anything, she would just start crying even harder. "Did you just call me Nick?" Nicholas asked a little shocked, and feeling silly that he did not catch it right away.

Laughing a little, Clair pulled back and smiled at him. "Yes, why? Am I not aloud to call you that anymore?" she asked.

"No, of course not! It has just been a long time since you have called me that. Listen, I am sure that you will be fine. I bet that this guy is not as bad as you think he is. Did your father say when you were to get married?"

"No, and he also did not tell me who I am getting married too! I do not even know how old he is! For all I know, he could be some rich man in another country who is about to die! All my father said was that I would find out who he was when I figured out the secret of his gift, whatever that means."

"I think that you are over reacting. May I see your bracelet? The charm looks familiar, like I have seen it before." Nick asked.

"I have been thinking the same thing, but I can not figure out why, or where I would have seen it before." Clair replied, handing it to him.

Looking at the charm, Nicholas noticed that was a crack in the side. "I think that this opens! I have a small knife in my desk drawer. Will you go get it for me?" she did as he said and came back with the knife. Taking it from her, Nicholas pried open the locket. On the inside, there was an inscription. "I was right! Look, it says something, but I can not make out what it is. Maybe you could try." he said handing it back to Clair.

Clair read it and gasped staring at Nicholas. "This has to be a joke." she said. "This can not be right!"

"Well, what does it say?" he asked eagerly, his curiosity rising.

So Clair read the inscription aloud:

_I'm gonna love you, for the rest of my life, I'm holding you safe here, in this heart of mine, I can't live without you, 'cause my soul would die, and know I'm telling the truth, I'll spend the rest of my life loving you. Know that I will always love your, Nick._

"I remember now! I gave you a bracelet with that charm locket for your twelfth birthday! You were wearing it the night Jeremy kidnapped you, and I remember not believing that you still had it." Nicholas said.

"I didn't know it was mine. One of the maids helping me dress for the ball said that I should wear it because it was pretty, and the girl it used to belong to left it here years ago. Wait, why would me suitor have the locket that you gave me? Or…no. It can't be!"

"What? What are you so freaked out about now?"

"You! You are my suitor! I am going to marry you! You said so yourself that your uncle gave our fathers that idea when we were little, could they have possible gone through with it? No!" Clair exclaimed in shock. "You knew, didn't you!?!"

"No! I had nothing to do with this! I swear, I did not know! Clair, calm down. You are going to hyperventilate and pass out."

"Why? I can not marry my best friend. I refuse!"

"I do not think that we have a choice Clair! An arranged marriage is pretty much set in stone, and we still don't know that I am the one that you are engaged to in the first place."

"Yes we do! You are the one that gave me this charm in the first place, so who else would have it? And no, I will not calm down because I…" Clair was rambling, obviously distressed, so before she could say anything else, Nicholas did the only thing he could think of. He kissed her.

Shocked at his sudden movement, Clair immediately shut-up. At first, she did not know what to think, but then she realized how much she actually like him, and let him kiss her. She put her arms around his neck and leaned into him as he put his arms around her waist, pulling her closer to him.

When they pulled apart, they just stared at each other. _I never thought that he liked me! I thought that all those other times he kissed me was to make me shut-up! I guess I was just trying to tell myself that so I would not think that I liked him, which I do. _Clair thought to herself.

At the same time, Nicholas was having thoughts of his own. _I knew I liked her, but I did not know I liked her this much! This is a shock to me that she likes me back also. I guess that our fathers somehow knew, so they arranged our engagement. I think I could get used to the idea of being with her, I mean, we have been friends for a long time._


	18. Chapter 17: Getting Adjusted

Chapter 17

Getting Adjusted

A few days later, Nicholas was strong enough that he was aloud out of his rooms. Walking down to the stables to saddle his horse for a ride, Nicholas noticed that there were fresh tracks of another horse leaving the stables as well. Following them, Nicholas found that they led to the edge of the woods where there was a brook and lots of wild flowers.

Sitting at the edge of the brook was none other that the Princess Clair. _She looks beautiful!_ he thought to himself. She had her hair down with a crown of braids circling her head. Her wavy brown hair was down to her waist now. She was wearing a long flowing blue skirt with tiny white roses embroidered all over it, and a soft white blouse with bell sleeves.

Hearing the sound of approaching hooves, Clair turned around to see Nicholas ridding up behind her. "What are you doing outside? I knew you were aloud up, but I do not think that they meant that you could go ridding." she told him, smiling despite herself.

Getting off of his horse, Nicholas walked over and sat down beside her. "You know that I never listen to what I am told. I could not stay cooped up in that house for another minute, I just had to get out. And I needed an excuse to see you!" he said smiling sweetly at her.

"As flattered as I am to here that you wanted to see me, I have yet to hear an excuse as to why." Clair said, trying not to laugh. She was glad that he came to see her. It had been a week since she had last seen him, which was when they found out they were engaged. She had grown used to the idea of getting married, though it would not happen for another several months. My law, she had to be at least eighteen before she gets married. Even though she loved Nick, she did not want to get married just yet. Her father had set the wedding date to be exactly one week after her eighteenth birthday, which only gave her four months go finish growing up.

"Do I need an excuse to see my future bride?" Nicholas teased. He knew that she wanted to stay a child, and would let her be for as long as she wished. He also wished that she would hurry and grow up, because he did want to marry her, but he would wait until she was ready.

"I suppose not, as long as when we got caught you do not say that I dragged you out here by the scruff of your neck."

"Do you really think that you could do that? I do not think that you are that strong!"

"Do you not remember who knocked Jeremy unconscious? You, my dear, were hurt do bad to even stand up! I was the one that did it."

"After I had beaten him up till he was about to fall over!" They laughed at what each other was saying. Clair had finally told him what had happened, even the part about her fairy godmother. Surprisingly, he did not accuse her of insanity or adultery, even though nothing actually happened.

The day of the wedding had arrived. The entire kingdom had turned up to see their princess get married. Everyone was happy, and all the women cried, just like they always did at weddings. Nicholas became Prince Nicholas, with his bride, Princess Clarissa. They did become King and Queen of Trinadell after Clair's father died, because Randal never took back his title. Needless to say that in the end, everyone lived happily ever after.

Finished! I really hope that you enjoyed this story. I had a blast writing it. If you did like it, I am working on another, A High School Fairy Tale. It is also in this section, so you don't have to look to hard for it. Well, thank you for reading.


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